Human
by TheFrogFromHell
Summary: Previously titled "SHAPING THE CLAY". RE-REVISED! Set during and after Mewtwo Strikes Back. Mewtwo/Misty. Longer summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

SUMMARY: When Mewtwo lured six trainers into his trap on New Island, he'd planned to begin his reign of terror on the human world. He hadn't planned on being nearly destroyed by the battle that ensued, or on being nursed back to health by a human- a member of the species he'd despised enough to want to eradicate from the earth. Now, Mewtwo is torn between his hatred for his creators, and the new, mysterious emotions he feels for Misty, the human that saved his life. Once again, his true purpose is in question: will he still choose to destroy the world, or will these unfamiliar insights change the way Mewtwo views humans, pokemon, and even himself?

Author's Note: Foreword

This fic originated from a tiny spark of creativity I had while watching _Pokemon: The First Movie_ (has anyone else noticed that flick has 3 different titles?) over 6 years ago, and it grew into a wildfire of a multi-part series I never intended to spend so much time writing (but it has been very rewarding!). The contents of this story have been altered, edited, and spliced together in different arrangements more times than Mew's DNA (what you are reading now is the second revision of this fic, or the third version overall. In my opinion, this adaptation is immeasurably better than its predecessors). In addition, I do not consider this an AU fic, but there are several details that diverge from the canon. I have listed them here:

This "universe" in this story is somewhere in between animeverse and gameverse— Mewtwo was created on Cinnabar Island, as he was in the games, but he built his own lab on New Island after escaping from Giovanni. In other words, Mewtwo was not born on New Island.

Giovanni did not fund the Mew cloning project of which Mewtwo was the product of. It was an independent research project performed at the Cinnabar Island Laboratory (as I believe was the case in the games). However, Giovanni did follow the project, and, after Mewtwo destroyed the lab, Giovanni convinced him they would be "partners" as he did in the anime.

On New Island, Ash never physically interfered with Mew and Mewtwo's battling, so he was never killed. Therefore, Mewtwo's "epiphany" did not occur that night, and, instead, the events of this story unfolded.

Ash, Misty, and Brock are older than they are in the anime. Ash is 15, Misty is 16, and Brock is 20 years old in this fic.

Also, for you extreme pokefans… I believe there are 4 lines from the first movie hidden in this fic. Can you identify them?

Enjoy, and, as always, please take the time to review!

~TheFrogFromHell

**Chapter 1**

_These humans care nothing for me._

_I was not born a pokemon; I was created, and my creators have used and betrayed me, so _

_I stand alone._

…..

_I am everything,_ Mewtwo thought as he looked around the room at the situation he controlled. He could create a new world, choose what beings were allowed to reside in it, and rule with absolute, unrivaled power.

_But I am nothing. _He was a synthetic being in a natural world. Created as an experiment. He had no real purpose. Humans were so cruel, both for abusing him and for ever creating him in the first place. He despised them, and though the humans in the room with him now cried for their lives and the lives of their pokemon, he could feel no compassion for them.

Mewtwo could never feel compassion for anyone, human or pokemon. All that mattered to him was power, revenge, and domination. Mewtwo now had a new purpose that he had determined by himself— destroying the evil beings that had brought him into existence and all who served them. He would forge a new future, with only himself and his cloned pokemon allowed to exist in it.

But in creating this new reality, he stood alone. Although his cloned pokemon obeyed him, they did not identify with him or share his goal. He felt no real connection with them at all. Even they, created in a laboratory like Mewtwo, were not the sole members of their species. They could never understand.

But Mewtwo was meant to be alone. He was so vastly superior to all other beings on Earth that he knew there could never be anything, or anyone, to match him. He readily embraced a life of solidarity, hoping that it would at least prove to be superior to the meaningless, wretched existence that existed in the shadows of his past.

….

Misty's large blue eyes followed Mewtwo as he blocked his opponent's attacks over and over again. Encased within his sapphire orb, he had effortlessly crushed all opposition— except Mew. It seemed odd; he was so large, and his competitor was so minuscule… yet neither one was winning.

Misty realized that automatically, she had been referring to Mewtwo in her thoughts as "he" and "him". Being a genetically unique, one-of-a-kind superclone, it made no sense that Mewtwo would have a gender, but it felt wrong using "it". As frighteningly exceptional as Mewtwo appeared, somehow he seemed strikingly humanoid to Misty. _Like a super intelligent criminal mastermind_, she thought. She felt as if she was inside of a science fiction movie. It was insane to think that just a few hours earlier, everything had seemed so normal— she, Ash, and Brock had been eating lunch, excited about going to a pokemon match.

Looking around at the pairs of pokemon attacking each other, the clones just barely distinguishable from their originals, Misty felt small. All of these creatures were battling to the death, Mew and Mewtwo the epicenter of the conflict, and all she could do was stand there and watch it all happen.

"I wish that thing would just kill Mewtwo," said the female trainer next to Misty angrily, watching attentively as Mew and Mewtwo fought. "He shouldn't have ever been created! Scientists are supposed to be smart, but they do such stupid things, like making a psycho clone that wants to destroy us!"

Somehow, that comment bothered Misty, but she didn't fully understand why. She couldn't bring herself to feel anger towards Mewtwo, only sadness. Maybe it was because she realized that as powerful and intelligent as Mewtwo was, it meant he was matchless— forever alone, on a different plane than all other life on earth. _How would I feel if I didn't have Ash, Brock, and my sisters… or anybody?_ Misty thought, _that would be horrible… I would be so lonely._ Also, Mewtwo looked so dissimilar to other pokemon. People, and, probably, other pokemon as well, would be terrified of him just because of the way he appeared. _Seeing himself in the mirror every day must remind him of how different, how artificial, he is,_ Misty considered, _not a human, but not a regular pokemon either._ Maybe she could understand, just a little, why Mewtwo was behaving so… _psychotically_, to use the same word the trainer had.

Misty's thoughts returned to the present moment. Ash had run off to save Pikachu, and now he was nowhere to be seen. Worried, she scanned the arena for signs of him. Although Ash could be immature sometimes, he was a very caring person. _He was the only one of these trainers that was willing to sacrifice his own safety for his pokemon, _Misty thought, and she found that very admirable. Ash had run up that slick spiral platform, nearly falling to his death more than once, and he had (stupidly, but nobly, Misty noted) tried to attack Mewtwo with his bare hands.

She had been thinking a lot about Ash lately. She'd been getting the feeling fairly often that he was interested in her as more than just a friendand fellow pokemon trainer, mostly because of the looks that he gave her, and how sometimes she would catch him gazing at her when he thought she didn't notice. Also, the dynamic of their friendly squabbles had changed recently; instead of just insulting her back when Misty poked at him, he would blush embarrassedly and end the conversation.

However, Misty was unsure of her feelings for Ash. _Do I like him back? In _that _way?_ There was no question that she loved Ash as a friend, and, underneath her teasing comments, she did respect him. But was there more to her feelings? She really didn't know.

Misty then turned her eyes to Brock, who was stood a few feet away. Brock, though he sometimes didn't act it, was older than both of them; significantly older, to the point where he wasn't quite on the same level, mentally. He was their friend, yes, but Misty often suspected that he was in an entirely different world in his thoughts.

….

Mewtwo physically could not continue this much longer, but backing down was not an option. If he were to fall to the cold ground, there would be no one there to catch him. Because of what he was, and what he planned to do, all these humans despised him as he did them. He was alone in this fight, in complete solidarity. The only human who had ever wanted him was Giovanni, and that was just so that the Team Rocket leader could control his power. _Humans are disgusting creatures, drowning in their own self interest,_ thought Mewtwo furiously, _I shall not let them win!_

….

Silence.

The two catlike pokemon had disappeared up into the sky, and a hush fell over the crowd as they waited and prayed for Mew's victory over Mewtwo. Even the pokemon had stopped battling.

But Misty could sense something was wrong. The storm still threatened them.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, and people jumped and shrieked in alarm. Suddenly, a figure plummeted from the sky. With an audible thump, it hit the ground… hard. A cloud of dust surrounded its pale body. People gasped, all with the same burning question in their minds: was it Mewtwo… or Mew?

Shortly after, another figure appeared. Misty's heart raced when she realized it was Mewtwo. He had finally managed to overpower his only opposition. It was over for humans and pokemon. The world, as they knew it, was going to be destroyed.

Mewtwo floated gracefully down to the floor and promptly collapsed.

Ash, who had found his way back to Brock and Misty; Brock; and the other trainers cheered and applauded. But Misty… she felt sick inside. Something told her that she should be helping the injured… pokemon? Mewtwo didn't seem like a pokemon at all. She could sense his profound intellect, his powerful psychic abilities, and, most of all, his _anger. _Never had she sensed such human emotion in a pokemon. Somehow, Misty just knew that such pure, raw energy could never be tamed; Mewtwo could never be harnessed, kept and trained like a normal pokemon. Mewtwo despised humans with all of his being, but, ironically, he was very close to human himself.

The trainers quickly came to their senses and began to retrieve their pokemon and flee the island. Without Mewtwo awake to keep it brewing, the storm was subsiding, and the water was becoming tame enough to reach the mainland safely.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash yelled over his shoulder, "We have to get out of here before it wakes up!"

"Okay," Misty replied, eyeing the fallen Mewtwo. She was about to turn away when she noticed his eyes, opening slowly.

"Misty, what are you—"Ash gasped when he saw what Misty was looking at. "Brock, RUN!"

Misty tried to run, but her legs felt like jelly. She couldn't stop looking at his violet eyes; it was like she was in a trance. She backed away slowly, terrified. Mewtwo began to get up, but he was very weak. Misty finally broke his gaze and started running towards the heavy double doors. Mewtwo clenched his digits together and the portal to freedom gradually began to close. Ash and Brock easily made it out, but at the rate it was shutting…

"MISTY!" Ash and Brock called desperately, holding out their hands.

Misty realized she wasn't going to make it. The crack between the doors grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared, and she missed it by a long shot; she was roughly a hundred feet from the exit when the doors closed. She stopped in her tracks, staring down at her shoes. Her heart was beating unnervingly fast. She whirled around to face Mewtwo. He was standing, but barely.

_Human,_ Mewtwo projected, attempting intimidation but only managing to sound tired, _how dare you attempt to escape my power…_ but he was simply too exhausted and collapsed again. Misty looked at the sealed exit, and then around the arena. She couldn't see another way out. She looked at the powerful Mewtwo, now reduced to a limp, motionless heap on the floor. Gasping for air, Misty couldn't believe what had just happened.

And she was in even more disbelief at the next thing she did. Instead of running away from Mewtwo, she chose to act on a strange impulse she had to advance toward him. _Why?_ she thought to herself, _he's evil… and dangerous!_ But she found herself kneeling next to the strange pokemon, studying his face.

Unconscious, Mewtwo did not appear threatening at all. He looked helpless, and— Misty noticed the cuts, scratches and bruises resulting from his battle with Mew— badly hurt.

But she was too weary to do anything now; a wave of exhaustion had come over her the moment she stopped to think. With no ideas of anything better to do, she lay down on the hard ground next to the fallen Mewtwo and fell into a troubled sleep.

…..


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Misty opened her eyes. She blinked as the world around her came into focus. Mewtwo still lay beside her, out cold. She didn't know what to do. She could wake him up, but he might attack her. That was hard to believe at the moment, since the fallen pokemon looked so worse for wear. _He might die_, Misty considered, and she realized that for whatever reason, she didn't want him to die.

She glanced over to where Mew had lain on the ground. The small pokemon had disappeared, leading Misty to believe that it was still alive. _I'm glad it's better off than Mewtwo, _Misty thought.

Mewtwo didn't need her to run away from him right now. He needed rest, food and drink, and someone to take care of him. _But_ _why should I help him?_ Misty thought, _he almost destroyed us and our pokemon! _But she knew why— it was the right thing to do. Also, she didn't have a better plan.

She scanned the room. A couple of the trainers had left their backpacks on the floor in their frenzied escape. Misty's backpack was still on her back. She checked her belt for her pokemon, and then remembered that Mewtwo had taken them away from her. _Did they escape with the others?_ she wondered, _or are they still here somewhere?_

"Staryu! Goldeen! Psyduck!" she called, but the pokemon did not appear. _I guess they're with Ash and Brock, _she figured, though she was still a little worried.

She took off her backpack, searching for anything that might prove helpful. She found a bottle of water and half a sandwich left over from lunch. Lunch… it seemed like it was decades ago. She was hungry herself but could only manage to take a swig of water— the sandwich was soaked from the trip over, and looked very unappetizing. She made sure to save some of the water for Mewtwo, in case he awakened and needed it.

_Okay, here goes… _Misty thought, turning to her unlikely companion.

"Mewtwo… wake up…" Her hand brushed him tentatively, and he felt hard and muscular. However, his fine white hair was pleasantly soft to the touch, which surprised her.

"Mewtwo… my name is Misty and I'm not going to hurt you… I've got some food and water…" Mewtwo made a small noise and his head rolled towards her. She was overcome by the strange urge to touch his face, just to see how it would feel, and she did. She delicately traced her fingers over his neck, his mouth, his cheeks, and then moved her hand upwards to feel the softness of the fur around his ears.

She gasped when his eyes opened just a little bit.

_You… Human…_ Misty heard in her mind.

"Shh! Don't… say anything. You're going to end up killing yourself!" She proceeded to tip her water bottle into his mouth. Mewtwo drank and drank, until the whole bottle was almost empty. Mewtwo gazed at her, and though he was too weak for much communication, Misty understood what he meant when he asked telepathically,

_Why?_

"Because… because…"_Because you'd do the same thing for me? Because you deserve it? _"Just… because," she replied. The violet eyes closed, and she began to gently stroke the side of Mewtwo's face again. It somehow soothed her.

Misty lifted his head and eased her backpack under it as a pillow. She then began searching through the other trainer's backpacks, though she felt a little intrusive doing so. She found more food, water, and even some pokemon food. There were also pokeballs, potions, and other training-related items. Then… _Aha!_ One of the trainers had been carrying a cell phone. She tried to turn it on… and water splashed out through the speakers.

"Damn it…" Misty cursed, but she really hadn't been expecting it to work, anyway. She peered over at Mewtwo. He was fully unconscious again. Misty wondered if he'd ever be the same as he was when she had first laid eyes on him. As many evils as he had committed that night, she still managed to feel sorry for him. _Forget Mewtwo_, she thought, _maybe _I'm_ the one who's insane. _She gathered together all the revives and potions she found that she thought could be used to help the fallen pokemon.

After spraying his injuries with several potions (although there were some improvements, mostly the results were minimal), Misty decided to try a revive. She tipped Mewtwo's head back and slowly poured the remedy into his mouth.

The fallen pokemon opened his eyes again and looked at Misty. This time, he was able to sit up, and Misty could tell some of his energy had returned.

_Why are you doing this? _The clone demanded,_ why save me? I was never meant to live… I do not belong here._ _You should have let me die._ Misty was surprised at the way Mewtwo's tune changed so quickly. She realized his anger and obsession with destroying humans must have stemmed from a lot of internal suffering. Maybe someone had done him wrong at some point in the past...

"You did a lot of nasty things, but I could never let anyone die in front of me without trying to help. I'd be a bad person if I did that."

_Then… I am a bad person._ Misty could sense the torment inside Mewtwo, though his words themselves were devoid of emotion. _I would never have done the same for you._

_I knew that_, Misty told herself, but she couldn't help feeling a little hurt. On the other hand, she wondered, _why has he not tried to attack me?_ Maybe it was just because he was still too weak. Putting the thought out of her mind, she said,

"You need your rest if you're going to recover. But you'd better not pull any fast ones on me because you owe me one." Mewtwo looked at her inquisitively, but he complied, laying his head back down and allowing sleep to take him.

…..

_There is definitely something different about her,_ Mewtwo thought as he drifted off to sleep._ She is not like other humans. She seems to genuinely care about me. _But that was ridiculous!Humans only cared about themselves. Concern for others' wellbeing was unnatural for them. But what about Mewtwo? Did he understand it?No_. _He had not been concerned about the terrified humans in the arena, or their pokemon, in the least. He thought he had humans figured out. They were all self centered, thoughtless fools who cared nothing for him._ But, perhaps… this one was unlike the rest._

For the next day (or, at least, Mewtwo perceived it was about a day, but it was possible it was actually much less, or much more, time) Mewtwo did not move. He slipped back and forth from a state of deep sleep to a state of partial consciousness, in which his mind was active but his thoughts were irrational and blended into each other nonsensically. While semiconscious, he figured that his body and mind were utilizing this rest period as a way of recuperating and restoring his psychic energy after he had used it so aggressively during the battle.

The human girl appeared at regular intervals in his dreams and his thoughts. Somehow, she had made a profound impression in his subconscious. Her image, her voice, and the alien sensation of her light touch on his body danced around in Mewtwo's mind, captivating and consuming him. Sometimes, when partially awake, he could sense her presence near him, and, when he could not, it distressed him. He began to crave the reassurance of feeling her, his healer and protector, there by his side, and the deep knowingness that he was not alone. He rested there on the ground for what seemed like an eternity, until he could not keep his eyes closed any longer. Feeling a great deal stronger, he opened them and sat up.

Laying eyes on the arena once again, memories of the battle flooded back to Mewtwo. He scanned the room. The human lay asleep several feet away, and this was comforting to him. Hesitantly, he then scanned the room for Mew but did not see the pokemon anywhere. He also could not sense its psychic signature anywhere nearby, so he concluded it was gone. _Did the human revive _it_ as well?_ Mewtwo was deeply bothered by that notion. _Perhaps it escaped by itself_, Mewtwo hoped. Steadying himself, Mewtwo managed to stand up. He was still at less than full strength, he could tell. _I wonder if my power has returned_, he wondered. Concentrating hard on the sleeping girl, he tried to lift her. At first it seemed easy— too easy— but once she was about a foot above the ground, he lost his focus and she fell.

The girl stirred, rubbed her eyes, and sat up. At first she didn't notice Mewtwo, but looking around the room she spotted him and jumped in surprise. Their eyes met, and a strange emotion passed through Mewtwo's body. He didn't understand it at all. It was something completely unknown to him. Both he and the girl were silent for a long time, as if they were each afraid to speak to the other. Misty stood up and brushed herself off, while keeping her eyes on Mewtwo warily. He knew she was frightened of him, and that troubled him, even though he understood the reason for it.

_Human… why do you continue to stay and care for me?_ Mewtwo projected. To his surprise, tears formed in the corners of the girl's eyes.

"I… I don't know!" she exclaimed, "you trapped us all here and forced our pokemon to battle to the death, saying you were going to destroy the world… your actions are unforgivable!" Mewtwo was taken aback. Had he heard those same words a day or so ago, they would not have bothered him in the least. He would have registered them as facts, devoid of emotion. But now, coming from the girl who had healed him so selflessly, putting her own resentments aside… He felt… ashamed? It was not something he was familiar with. Emotions other than anger, vengeance and hatred were all novel to Mewtwo.

The girl continued. "But when I saw you… hurt like that… I just… I don't know, I knew that I had to help you, even though I didn't have any good reason to. And now I… I'm scared, and I'm all alone in this… this _place_, and I don't even know what you're going to do with me, but I couldn't let you die… I just couldn't let you die!" the girl wept.

Mewtwo exhaled. This was becoming a complicated situation. Yesterday, his objective had been so clear; he would trap the humans in this place that he built and achieve his revenge by making them watch as their pokemon fought to their ends, and their world was shattered.

But what was he to do now? Did he still want to follow through with his original plan after the events of the past day? This girl had proved to him that one human, at least, was not coldhearted and uncaring. Perhaps there were others like her, and, even if she was the only one not completely callous, did she deserve to die with the rest of the population?

Also, four of the five trainers had escaped with their memories of Mewtwo intact. That was a problem. And what about the one who remained? What was to become of her? She could not remain here; this was no place for a human. The only option was to erase her memory, although Mewtwo was hesitant to do so. _I do not want her to forget,_ he realized, peculiarly. However, he could not allow her to leave with knowledge of his existence; it was just too dangerous for him. He would permit her departure with the suppression of her memories, and then he would find the other trainers who remembered him and erase himself from their minds as well.

Mewtwo regained his composure.

_For saving me, I thank you. But you are not wanted here, human. You must leave this place at once, and leave all your memories of me at the door._ The girl looked up at him blankly. He realized how enormously tall he was in comparison to her. He was expecting her to turn and leave, when—

SLAP! Mewtwo's eyes widened. This tiny human girl had dared to challenge his power… by simply slapping him across his pale face, although she had to stand on her toes to reach him. She had caught him off guard, so he had not raised a barrier, and he felt the full sting of her assault. Not that it was particularly painful, but the action itself was so bold, and shocking.

The girl glared at Mewtwo.

"You're just a big… a big… bully! First you trap us all here and take advantage of us and our pokemon, and then I decide to take care of you, out of the kindness of my heart, and you just force me to leave and forget all about you? And don't go around calling me 'human'. I'm not just any human. There are billions of us on this planet, and we all have names, and mine's Misty! Mis-tee. Got it?" This human girl… Misty… appeared irate. Mewtwo obviously didn't consider her a physical threat to him, but she was brave, or delusional, perhaps, to stand up to him, not with her pokemon to protect her, but alone.

Mewtwo did not reply for a moment. _Fine then. Stay, if you wish, although I do not understand your desire to. It means nothing to me. I will carry out my plans, and you will simply observe, and __will _not_attempt to interfere. Is that clear, human?_

"Rrrrr! It's Misty! And fine then, maybe I will stay. Humph."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_Oops. Why the heck did I say a stupid thing like that?_ Misty thought to herself, realizing her mistake. She couldn't afford make any more mistakes like that one, not with someone as volatile as Mewtwo. _And… by "plans", he didn't mean he was still going to destroy the world, did he? _Misty wondered anxiously. Fuming, Misty turned on her heels and stomped away from him. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed that Mewtwo had already disappeared to another wing of the huge building. _What _is _this place, anyhow? A mansion? Laboratory? And did Mewtwo really build it himself?_

Misty sighed. She may have agreed to stay for now, but she had to get out of there sometime. She knew that Ash, Brock, and others were probably looking for a way to retrieve her, but when would they arrive? In a day? A week? A month? Misty looked outside, and, to her dismay, the storm was raging outside once again. _This must be Mewtwo's doing,_ she reasoned. Misty sighed. Maybe her efforts had meant nothing to Mewtwo after all. Now that he was conscious, he was just going to return to his old ways. _Well, did you really expect anything different?_ She said internally, kicking herself.

Sitting on the ground, Misty hugged her legs in close to her body. Her stomach growled; she had gone a long time without any food. It was impossible to ignore the gnawing hunger at this point, even if she tried. _I am so stupid!_ _Why didn't I just get out of here when I had the chance, instead of standing there like an idiot?_ If she had escaped with Ash and Brock, by now she could be having a nice hot meal with her friends and trusted pokemon. She sighed and lay down, trying to escape the uncomfortable pangs in her stomach by going to sleep.

…

Mewtwo thought for a moment. _If she will not leave this place, I must prevent others from coming to find her,_ Mewtwo decided, beginning to stir up the storm once again. He could handle Misty's trainer friends, but if they brought the police force, as they were sure to do, with large numbers, weapons and helicopters… It could get ugly. Not that he couldn't defend himself against them; he could, easily, he was sure, but he simply did not want that many people to know he existed. It would complicate things even further.

Mewtwo explored the upper level of his laboratory, examining the parts of his cloning machine that Misty's trainer friend, Ash, had broken. _Meddlesome child,_ he thought bitterly, _he accomplished nothing, and it will take weeks to reconstruct this machine._

Deciding to address the cloning machine later, Mewtwo settled in front of his computer monitor screen.

Mewtwo watched the arena on the screen, now deserted except for Misty, curled up in a ball right in the center. _Humans are so illogical, _he thought, shaking his head,_ she voluntarily chooses to stay here, yet she is clearly miserable._

"Pika, pika! Pikachu?" Mewtwo looked down and saw the clone of Ash's Pikachu by his feet.

_Why am I so interested in her?_ It was something he wondered himself. _That… I do not know._

"Chu…! Pikachu, pikaaa!"

_You fool. I could never feel anything but hatred for humans, including this one. What makes her any different from the loathsome imbeciles who created me?_ Mewtwo projected angrily. But in actuality, he knew Pikachu's remark upset him so much because it was at least partially true— he did believe this girl was different, and Mewtwo definitely felt something for her that was neither hatred nor anger; however, exactly what that strange feeling was, he could not identify.

The small mouse scampered off, leaving Mewtwo alone with his thoughts.

…

Ash and Brock looked out from the dock at the vast abyss of crashing waves in alarm. They had only just made it back to the mainland, healed their pokemon, and looked around for Officer Jenny, and already the storm was back in full force.

"So… let me get this straight," Officer Jenny said, raising an eyebrow, "you five trainers made it to this island with Team Rocket members disguised as Vikings, and there, you met this "pokemon master" who was actually a cloned pokemon, claiming he was going to destroy the world?"

Ash swallowed. "Uh-huh," he answered, "I know it sounds crazy, but that's exactly what happened! There were other clones there, too, with super powerful attacks— they wiped out our pokemon in about two seconds!"

Officer Jenny frowned. "I'm sorry, Ash, I just find this hard to believe. But tell me about your friend. You said she's missing?"

"She's still there, on the island!" said Brock concernedly.

"But you know for sure that's where she is?"

Ash and Brock looked at each other, turned back to Officer Jenny, and nodded.

"Listen, kids," Officer Jenny said, "the storm is so bad right now that even a helicopter wouldn't make it to New Island safely. When it clears up, I'd be more than happy to go take a look, but it's going to have to wait. You said she was safe and dry inside, right?"

"Well, yeah… with that psychopath!"

"I'm sorry, but it's just going to have to wait," said Officer Jenny, sounding irritated.

"But—"

"I suggest you kids get some food and rest," interrupted Officer Jenny, "I'll contact you when conditions are safer." She ended the conversation, got into her police car, and drove away.

Brock sighed, "You know, Ash, it's such a bummer that the prettiest woman can be the worst listener…"

Ash felt so useless. _We know exactly where Misty is, and yet there's nothing we can do about it, _he thought, beyond frustrated.

….

Misty awoke in a bed. A comfortable bed. _Her_ bed. In fact, she was home… in her own room. _How did I get here?_ she thought, and then she remembered what Mewtwo had told her before. _Oh, that lowlife! He sent me home! But… why do I still remember everything, then?_ She looked around her blue room, and everything looked the same as when she left. She heard voices coming from outside her door, and then knocking.

"Misty! Open up! It's Ash!" _Ash?_

"And me, Brock!"

"Pika!"

"Oh, hi guys! You won't believe this…" she reached out to turn the doorknob, and…

"PIKACHU!"

Misty screamed and opened her eyes. She felt like she'd just been shocked with a million volts. _So it was a dream…_ she sighed.

Looking around, Misty's heart sank when she saw that she was still inside Mewtwo's laboratory, lying right in the center of the arena.

"Pikachu! Pika, cha, pikachu!" Misty looked over and saw a Pikachu next to her. It looked very similar to Ash's pikachu, but the marks on its ears set it apart. _The clone,_ Misty remembered. A part of her was still angry about how it had ruthlessly attacked her friend's pokemon, but it was hard to stay mad when the little creature looked so cute and harmless at the moment.

"Hi, little guy," She reached her hand out to pet it and the pikachu bit it. "Ouch!" She yelped, "What did you do that for?"

"Pika. Chuuu…" The pikachu looked… offended?

"Oh, I get it… you're a girl pikachu."

"Pika!" The small mouse brightened, signifying that her guess was correct, and then it allowed Misty to scratch its yellow head.

After a few moments, the pikachu backed up from her and motioned for her to follow it.

"Pikachu, pika, chu… pika, pika!"

"Um, okay," Misty replied as she stood up. _Where is it leading me?_ Misty wondered, _maybe it knows of another exit…_ The mouse pokemon hastily scampered over to the winding spiral platform, and Misty had to run to keep up. As the pikachu began climbing, Misty held her arms out to stabilize herself; it was scary ascending the narrow, slick metal fixture. If she were to fall, it could be disastrous.

The steep platform ended with a large circular opening at the top. It reminded Misty of a fire escape. Looking around, she saw sinister looking tubes filled with fluid, broken machine parts, and an enormous monitor screen.

"Pikachu, why did you bring me here?"

"Pikaa!" The pokemon gestured to something— a huge throne-like chair, with a certain humanoid pokemon seated in it with his back towards her…

Misty rolled her eyes. _Oh, brother… like I really wanted to see _him_ right now. Thanks a lot, Pikachu. _

Mewtwo rose out of his chair and slowly turned to face her. _So, you have decided to join me,_ Misty heard in her mind. If it was possible to communicate sarcasm telepathically, Mewtwo had succeeded. _You must require sustenance. I suppose you want some food? _

"Humph! Not from the likes of you." Misty pouted, though it was an offer that was hard to refuse, since she was so famished. _So, suddenly he cares about my wellbeing? This is kind of weird…_

_Suit yourself then, human._ Misty could have sworn she noticed a tiny smirk on his face.

_Grrr! If I didn't know any better, I'd think he calls me that to annoy me, _thought Misty, narrowing her eyes at him.

_These are my private quarters,_ projected Mewtwo,_ I built this space, and everything in it, myself. Make yourself at home._

_Again with the sarcasm! _Misty thought, annoyed. _God, Mewtwo is becoming more and more human every second! _

Also, it was difficult to "make herself at home" when she felt so uncomfortable. Her clothes, which had become soaked during the trip to the island, had now partially dried, and they clung stiffly to her. Misty's face and body felt filthy and clammy with sweat, and she was sure her hair was a rat's nest. Not to mention she was starving, parched, and in an all around horrible mood. However, as lousy as she felt, she refused to accept assistance from such an ungrateful, rude, and self important host.

…..

Mewtwo had not expected it would be so entertaining to get under this girl's skin. _I am simply responding to her actions,_ he reasoned,_ if she refuses to leave out of stubbornness, then I will be stubborn as well. I _will_ be her source of food, water and shelter, whether she wishes me to be or not. She must submit to me eventually; she has no other choice, except to die._

_Human,_ Mewtwo communicated, deciding to test her limits even further, _you appear very uncomfortable. Perhaps it would be best to remove those soiled clothes?_

Misty blushed crimson, and Mewtwo mentally slapped himself, not realizing the implications of that phrase until he had already communicated it.

_I would provide you with replacement garments, of course._

Misty glared at him once again. "No way!" she exclaimed, "I'm not accepting anything from you, not now, not ever."

_Understood. You are free to choose to reject my offers. It matters not to me whether you survive or perish; that decision is yours._

"Humph! Fine then," Misty snapped, "I would rather die than rely on you."

Somehow, that comment disturbed Mewtwo. He felt… hurt? Insulted? Rejected? The one area in which humans prevailed over Mewtwo was their understanding of emotions, and, just for an instant, he envied them for that.

He dismissed that thought as instantly as it had manifested. _Emotions are meaningless,_ he reminded himself, _their only purpose is to cloud logical thinking and interfere with reasonable behavior._

However, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he was worried about the girl. What if she really _would_ die before accepting his help? _What a purposeless, easily preventable demise_, Mewtwo thought, shaking his head, _has she no sense of self preservation whatsoever?_

_Human, I tire of arguing with you,_ he projected to her,_ I shall return to my work now. Do as you please._

He turned back to his computer screen, beginning a scan for which damaged pieces of his cloning machine needed to be replaced. The girl chose not to reply, and Mewtwo pretended that didn't bother him.

…

With nothing better to do, Misty decided to explore the lab. She studied each of the empty tubes of fluid, guessing that they were where Mewtwo's cloned pokemon had come from. _I wonder where they all could be,_ she thought,_ the only one I've seen since the battle is Pikachu._

Misty noticed a pile of disorganized, ancient-looking junk in a pile off to the side. It appeared strangely out of place compared to the complex pieces of equipment that Mewtwo kept in the lab, and she wondered why it was there. The corner of a piece of paper caught her eye, and she pulled it out to discover it was a folder.

The edges looked scorched. _A fire?_ She thought, and wondered when it had occurred. She opened the folder to discover several short, incomplete scientific journal entries that were handwritten in a messy scrawl. The pages were all torn in places, and some were partially blackened, rendering certain parts unreadable. The writing was faded, leading Misty to guess that the articles were a few years old at least. She thumbed through the entries, reading the snippets that were still intact.

_Diary: July 5  
_

_Guyana, South America  
_

_A fossil of a new pokemon was discovered deep in the jungle._

_Diary: July 10_

_Cinnabar Island Laboratory_

_We christened the newly discovered pokemon "Mew"._

_Diary: Feb. 6 _

_Cinnabar Island Laboratory_

_After several failed attempts, we finally succeeded in creating an enhanced clone of Mew using the DNA from the fossil as a template. We named the newborn clone "Mewtwo"._

_Diary: Sept. 1_

_Cinnabar Island Laboratory  
_

_Mewtwo's psychic abilities have proved to be far too great to control. We have failed to curb its vicious tendencies. We dreamed of creating the world's most powerful pokemon, and we succeeded…_

Misty shuddered. These articles gave her the creeps. She had a feeling the scientist who wrote these journal entries had perished in the same fire that had singed these papers. _Why has Mewtwo held onto them?_ she wondered, although she did have some idea. They were the only written records of his birth, or, rather, his creation. _It's so easy for most people,_ she thought, _they have a mom, and a dad, and a birth certificate…_ but Mewtwo had been brought into the world unnaturally. He'd had no one to guide him, to teach him right from wrong. _What would _I_ be like if I had lived Mewtwo's life? Would I be any better than him? _Tucking the articles back in their folder, Misty once again felt a wave of sympathy for the clone come over her.

Misty shrieked and dropped the papers when she heard a loud noise.

"BLASTOISE!" bellowed the huge cloned water pokemon, stepping out from behind one of the tubes.

Instinctively, Misty backed up to escape the creature without looking behind her.

She screamed as she lost her footing, flailing her arms as she fell backwards through the circular hole in the floor, plummeting down through the center of the spiral platform.

…


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Mewtwo whirled around when he heard a scream and sensed fear. _Misty,_ he thought as he saw her lose her footing and began her rapid descent to the floor below. His reaction was automatic; he could not have controlled it even if he tried. Pinpointing her exact position psychically, Mewtwo focused on her form and arrested her fall. However, this proved to be more difficult that he had expected; she felt heavy and challenging to hold up, rather than weightless, like how it would have felt had he tried to lift her before the battle.

_I am still not fully recovered,_ he realized. Concluding that he could not continue to suspend her there for long, he rushed over to the edge of the hole. She was hovering at, approximately, two body lengths down from him.

Concentrating fixedly, Mewtwo began to telekinetically pull her body upwards toward him. He was still so weak that she only moved a few inches at a time, painfully slowly. Just when he felt that he was at the end of his psychic energy stores, he reached his arm down, and Misty grasped it. The blue glow faded from his eyes and suddenly he felt the physical weight of her body tugging on his arm. Grunting, he used his physical strength to lift her out of the chasm to safety.

The girl, who he now held in his arms, looked at him with wide eyes, and, for the first time, Mewtwo noticed the attractive, cerulean blue color they were. He quickly banished the thought.

"You… saved me," Misty said softly, "but… why…" it appeared the combination of weakness from hunger and the fear and panic she felt because of the fall was too much for her, and her eyes closed again as she collapsed in his arms.

Her question puzzled Mewtwo perhaps even more than it did her. _Why _did_ I rescue her?_ Mewtwo quickly formulated a logical explanation. _A favor for a favor,_ he rationalized, _a life for a life._ However, in the back of his mind, he knew there was more to it than that.

Misty's limp body felt pleasantly warm and soft. The sensation both excited and frightened Mewtwo; it was like nothing he had ever experienced before. He laid her down gently on the floor, frowning. _She needs a proper place to rest,_ he determined.

He studied the room, paying particular attention to the aspects of it that were not currently in use. He sighed when he laid eyes on his cloning machine. _Well, my plans _are_ on hiatus, _he thought reluctantly. He didn't feel like spending the time rebuilding the machine at that point anyway; he doubted he would be creating any new clones for a while. Not until he decided with certainty what his next plan of action would be.

He telekinetically detached some of the parts of the apparatus, noting that they were much lighter and easier to control than Misty. He reassembled them into a crude approximation of bed frame, using his psychic power to fuse them together. He was skilled at this, for he had used similar methods to build the laboratory.

To make the bed soft and comfortable for Misty, he simply teleported cushions, blankets, and pillows from houses he had seen while surveying the trainers he had invited to New Island. Then, he carefully lifted the unconscious girl, laying her down in her new resting place.

To Mewtwo's annoyance, Pikachu decided to comment on the situation.

"Chuuuu… pika."

_Quiet,_ he responded, gritting his teeth, _I have no attachment to this girl at all. My behavior was simply… an instinct. Something I still do not fully understand._

Mewtwo could tell by the distasteful noise the pokemon made that it disagreed with him, and he wasn't even entirely sure he believed his own words himself.

…

Misty was enveloped by a wonderful softness. She felt… supported, comfortable. _I must be dreaming again,_ she thought, but when she opened her eyes, she saw that she was not— she was, indeed, still in Mewtwo's laboratory.

But she was lying on something. _A bed,_ she realized, shocked.

She sat up and looked around for Mewtwo. The events of earlier that day had come back to her now, and they still mystified her. _He said it meant nothing to him whether I lived or died, _she thought, _but then… when I fell… he was there to rescue me. Maybe he has changed, after all…_ However, it was possible that was just wishful thinking. Maybe Mewtwo had ulterior motives for saving her.

Misty was surprised to see the clone approaching her carrying a large tray of food. On it was a selection of ripe fruit; bright, colorful vegetables; warm, fresh baked bread; and a variety of tender, delicious smelling meats. Misty's mouth watered with desire.

_I have never been so hungry in my life…_

Mewtwo set the tray down next to her and came to stand beside her. _I see you are awake,_ he communicated to her. _I hope that you will accept this nourishment. You are very weak, and greatly require it._

This time, Mewtwo's offer sounded sincere. Also, Misty didn't think she could deny her appetite for any longer even if she tried. She dug in, losing herself in the richness of all the delectable flavors.

Misty could sense Mewtwo watching her in silence as she ate. She wondered if he was internally gloating that he had gotten her to accept food from him.

When she was too stuffed for even one more bite, she wiped her mouth and turned to her companion.

"Okay… so what is all this about? First, you say you could care less if I live or die. Then, you save my life, and then you decide to go all bed and breakfast on me?"

Mewtwo did not respond at first. He looked at her seriously, blinking. Then, shockingly, he chuckled. Misty gaped as he stood up, covering his mouth and turning away from her as if attempting to control himself.

Something about the sheer absurdity of the situation made Misty start to giggle, too. Mewtwo, the almighty, super intelligent clone, was tucking her in, feeding her breakfast, and trying to stop _chuckling_ at something she said!

The two looked at each other and erupted into uncontrollable laughter. Tears came to Misty's eyes as she laughed, and she couldn't help herself; the expressions of hilarity and mirth bubbled up from her belly involuntarily, and it appeared that for Mewtwo, it was exactly the same.

Then, their strange encounter ended as suddenly as it had begun.

They looked at each other again, sobered.

Mewtwo began. _I arrested your fall because I felt I owed it to you. You may very well have saved my life, so I decided to reciprocate. That is all._

Misty was only partially satisfied by that explanation. Yes, it made sense, but… a part of her was hoping there was more to it. However, Misty decided it was pointless to argue with Mewtwo, so she simply nodded in understanding.

Looking down at the dirty tray in her hands, she said, "I guess I should clean this up."

_Wait,_ projected Mewtwo. His eyes glowed a shade of blue as he levitated the tray. Fascinatingly, as he held it, the particles of food slowly disintegrated until they were gone, and the tray was clean. _Show off,_ Misty thought. She'd only wanted to clean up because she appreciated him bringing her the food and wanted to help.

Because his gesture, though it made things easier for her, annoyed her, she decided to continue the conversation. What was the worst that could happen? He obviously wasn't going to hurt her, if he'd saved her life.

"I don't believe you, Mewtwo," Misty said boldly. Mewtwo looked at her questioningly. "I mean, sure, you saved my life to pay me back for saving yours. I would buy that, except, then I wake up in a bed that you obviously made just for me, and then you bring me all of this great food. If you saved me just to return the favor, then why did you go out of your way to make me comfortable?"

Mewtwo hesitated to answer. Misty gathered that either he didn't know the explanation himself, or he was carefully choosing his words in order to hide the real reason from her. _Humans… I still despise them, for I find them untrustworthy and cruel. But you… you are unlike them. Different from other humans._

That answer was evasive, but his words intrigued her.

"Well, you're pretty different from other pokemon, too," Misty commented.

_That is quite obvious, is it not?_ she could tell her comment annoyed Mewtwo.

"No, no! I didn't mean… but it's just… I don't know. Most people use pokemon for battling, or keep them as pets. I don't see you like that at all. You are like, well, don't take this the wrong way, but you are like another person. An equal. I don't see you as less than me at all. And I think anyone that does believe that… is… is stupid," she finished ineloquently. Misty hadn't even realized she'd had those thoughts about Mewtwo until she said them aloud.

_I have heard such words before, _Mewtwo projected in her mind, _but the one who said them lied through his teeth._

_So someone _did_ hurt Mewtwo in the past,_ Misty thought to herself.

_However… coming from you,_ Mewtwo continued, _I can sense no treachery. I believe you are being honest. _Misty couldn't believe what she was hearing. _As I conjectured, you are quite different from others of your kind._

"Mewtwo," Misty said earnestly, hoping he would at least consider what she had to say, "I am not the only one of us who is kind and caring. There are many good people in the world, whether you realize it or not."

Mewtwo gazed at her. _I recognize that you believe your words are sincere, _he communicated,_ but you have not experienced the world as I have, and you never will. You have never come face to face with the hideous reality of true human nature. You are entitled to your beliefs, but understand that after all I have faced, I will never accept them as correct._

Mewtwo left her then, returning to his computer monitor screen.

_I wonder who treated him so badly,_ Misty thought, feeling sad for her new acquaintance.

…..

Mewtwo sensed a presence next to him. He glanced over to see Meowth, one of the clones he created the night of the battle.

"Meow, meowth," said the small cat pokemon.

_Yes… she is kind,_ agreed Mewtwo, surprised at himself.

"Meow, meow! Meowth, meow."

_So you believe I could learn something from this girl?_ he projected. _Perhaps. But she is young. She will see the world differently as she grows older. No human can retain that kindness… that innocence… as she goes through life. As they mature, they grow corrupted… evil._

"Meowth," the cat cocked its head, "meow, meow, meow."

_That is true. I did mention she was unlike other humans. But why would she ever care about someone… some_thing_,_ Mewtwo added distastefully, _such as me?_

….


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Misty was running away. She didn't know why, or from what, but she was running away. She dashed down the spiral platform, past the arena, and pushed the large double doors open with ease. Exiting Mewtwo's laboratory, she felt the chilled night air ruffle her hair. Instead of rough and stormy, the water of the harbor was perfectly still, and when Misty took a step out onto the lake, she discovered that she could walk across the water as if it was frozen solid.

Then, she saw them. There were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people surrounding her. They were standing on cliffs, in boats, even some of them swimming, and they were all armed with pokeballs. Somehow, she knew she had to run. She tried yelling that she wasn't a pokemon, but she seemed to have forgotten language entirely. She looked down at her hands, and her five fingers had shrunk down into little paws. She ran and ran across the lake until she reached the mainland, dodging the balls for as long as possible.

There, standing at the other side of the harbor, was Ash. But his eyes… they were weird. Different. Misty realized with certainty that this strange boy was not Ash, and somehow, she just knew it was Mewtwo. She tried to run but the boy's intense gaze held her in place. Even though all of these people were around her, suddenly she felt safe. The boy asked her a question in a language she didn't understand, and he leaned in close to her. Maybe she was wrong, but she thought he was about to kiss her when she awoke with a jolt. Her heart was pounding, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep for any longer.

Misty opened her eyes, and it was so dark in the room where she was that, at first, everything appeared pitch black. Then, the outlines of machines and tubes came into focus. She remembered where she was— Mewtwo's quarters.

She estimated that she had fitfully slept for about five or six hours. Sitting up in her bed, Misty noticed Mewtwo standing a few yards away from her with his back towards her. He began to turn around, and Misty quickly lied down again, pretending she was asleep, careful to keep her breathing even and her eyes just barely cracked open.

She closed her eyes the rest of the way when she heard Mewtwo approaching her, and she tried not reveal her surprise as she heard the pokemon kneel down by her side. Mewtwo was so close to her that she could just barely feel his breath graze her face. She tried to relax as she felt his light touch against her skin. He was gently caressing her face, just as Misty had done to him when he had been unconscious. _Or maybe he wasn't unconscious, if he remembers this,_ Misty considered. She was surprised to discover that she didn't mind his touch at all; it made her feel calm and protected.

….

_She looks so peaceful,_ Mewtwo thought to himself. Mewtwo imagined he should sleep as well, but that aspect of his life never came easily to him. He didn't like the idea of voluntarily surrendering his consciousness; the notion made him nervous. Or, perhaps it was that he struggled with quieting his mind enough to fall asleep in the first place.

He knelt down to study the girl more closely, and he had a strange thought, one he had never had in regards to a living entity before. _Beauty,_ he identified, _her face is beautiful._ But why? Why did he think so? Was it because this girl's features were all correctly shaped and proportional? Was it the color of her skin, her lips, her hair? Mewtwo did not understand. _Why do I feel so strange? I have never come across anything comparable to this before,_ Mewtwo thought, frustrated with his lack of an explanation.

He remembered the way the girl had caressed his face when he had lain on the ground, semiconscious. The way she had made him glad to not be alone. How she had, by some means, made Mewtwo feel as if he was not a vile creature to be feared, but someone who deserved to be cared for and watched over. As inaccurate as that idea might have been, Mewtwo had been content to accept it as true, just for a short time.

He looked at his own hands, if they could even be called hands, and he clenched his digits together. He would never have lithe, delicate fingers like Misty's. At that moment, it troubled and angered Mewtwo that even after the way humans had treated him, he could still find one beautiful. It bothered him equally much that no human could ever have the same thought about him. To humans, he would always be a terrifying, monstrous being. He could find Misty attractive, but she would always be frightened and repelled by Mewtwo.

He was uncertain of the reason, but Mewtwo tentatively reached out and touched the girl's lovely face, delicately tracing over her forehead, cheekbone, the outline of her jaw. Had she been awake, would his light touch feel different to her than hers had to him? Was it a soothing act of compassion for her to tenderly stroke him, but a deviant, insidious act for him to place his hands on her? Would Misty have found him repulsive, had she been aware of his presence?

After a few minutes, he bowed his head and stopped stroking her cheek, instead just resting his hand near her heart. He could feel it beating and its cadence seemed rapid to Mewtwo, but what did he know about human health? In the warmth of her body and the circular rhythm of her heart beat, it was like Mewtwo could feel all of the life that was inside her. Was it just _this_ human that carried this wondrous gift within her? Was it she that was a catalyst for change, a unique spirit? Or did this kind of life force reside in everyone, even, perhaps… himself?

Mewtwo was wide awake, but under the surface he could feel his growing exhaustion threatening to consume him. He felt overwrought, as if his mind had been stretched too far and spread too thin. He touched his hand to Misty's forehead one last time, and then he left her, returning to his chair. Bowing his head, he finally let his eyes close, allowing himself a short bout of sleep.

…..

Two weeks went by. Misty could see that Mewtwo's powers were gradually returning to normal. He practiced every day without fail. At first, he only lifted increasingly heavier objects, but it seemed that his ultimate goal consisted of lifting, suspending, and lowering Misty with perfect control. _Maybe it's because he had such a hard time rescuing me,_ she thought, remembering the expression of great concentration on his face as he had slowly pulled her to safety that day. Every once in a while, Misty would feel something like a strange tingle all around her, as if she was being lapped at by warm waves, and then she would feel her body rising off the ground. Then, seconds later, she would be set down again as if nothing had happened. After a while, she actually began to enjoy the sensation, as it was usually the most exciting part of her day.

Truth be told, she was bored on New Island. Although Mewtwo was careful to feed her at regular intervals, and had even provided new clothes for her, Misty realized this was no place for a teenaged girl. She had begun to miss her friends and family at home, and she felt guilty because she knew they had no idea what had become of her.

"Mewtwo," she asked him tentatively one day, "remember how you made your dragonite deliver those messages, the invitations?"

Mewtwo hesitated. _Yes,_ He replied stiffly. Over the past week, Misty had conversed with her host more and more, and she found that whenever she tried to talk about the night of the battle, or the circumstances surrounding it, Mewtwo would end the conversation. It was as if he was uncomfortable with the subject altogether. _I wonder if he feels guilty about it,_ Misty thought sometimes.

"Could I… send a message to my friends, and my family, just to let them know that I'm okay?" Tears sprung to the corners of Misty's eyes. She was homesick.

Mewtwo sighed. _No,_ he projected, _that would attract humans to this place. I do not want others to come and disturb my plans._

"_What_ plans?" Misty inquired. She knew Mewtwo was up to something in his laboratory, but she hadn't the slightest idea what it could be. She figured that if he still planned to destroy the world, he would have done so by now.

_My plans do not concern you, human._ Mewtwo looked annoyed.

Misty couldn't take it any more. She felt so lonely. If she couldn't contact her family and friends, then the only person she had was Mewtwo, and he wouldn't even be honest with her! She could no longer hold back the sobs.

_Misty…_ Misty's eyes opened wide as she looked at Mewtwo.

"You… you… called me "Misty"!" She exclaimed, dumfounded.

_I dislike the noises you make when you are upset, so, if you wish, I will reveal my plans to you. However, if I tell you, I believe you will not like what you hear._

"I don't care!" Misty countered, "Whether I like it or not, I think I deserve your honesty! I've been honest with you." She looked at him sternly.

Mewtwo paused again. _Understood,_ he projected, and began his explanation. _I am certain you have noticed the storm outside._

_Well, duh._ "Of course."

_And you realize it is my doing._

Did Mewtwo think she was totally dense? "Umm, yeah! Mewtwo, what's your point already? Are you building an arc or something?"

She swore she saw a shadow of a smile cross his face at that comment, and it brought back memories of that day they laughed together. _I like it when he laughs_, she thought, _it makes him seem more… _human_._

_It is true, Misty, that you have enlightened me to a new perspective, one I never would have considered before. _Mewtwo's smile faded. _But_ _a part of me… the much larger part of me… can never trust the human race._ Mewtwo took a breath before continuing, _sometimes… I still deeply desire power, over humans— my creators— who abused me and tried to harness my power for selfish reasons._

Misty continued to weep. "So… that's why you're continuing the storm? You still want to destroy us? The whole human race? Myfamily and friends? And what about our pokemon? How can you do this?"

_Yes, that was the original purpose of the storm, but… now it has other functions as well._

"Oh, and what are those?" Misty replied bitingly.

_I cannot tell you. If you wish, I shall erase your memory, but I will not destroy you, or the ones you love. It will be as if we never encountered each other._

_That's not an answer! _"No!" Misty shouted, "That's not what I want! Tell me everything. Don't you think I deserve to know? Do you even care about me at all? Or am I just your toy to keep here and play with?" Misty was enraged at Mewtwo.

Mewtwo looked away from her. Misty had never seen him appear so forlorn, so regretful. Whatever he was hiding from her was something he was truly ashamed of.

_Misty…_ Mewtwo said, _the storm… it is not strong enough to destroy the world, at least not by itself, but… _he trailed off, frustratingly.

"What? Tell me!"

_It is strong enough to keep someone from coming in_, he paused, _or someone from leaving_.

Mewtwo's words hit her like a brick. They were truly shocking; Misty had not expected anything like this. _He… wants me to stay,_ Misty realized, _he's kept the storm going because he wants me here, with him._

"So… the storm is because of _me_?" Misty inquired incredulously, "the only reason you're doing this is so no one will come looking for me?"

_Originally, I restarted the storm to deter other humans from coming to the island, _Mewtwo explained,_ but now…_ _Misty, you are the first, and only, human who has ever cared for me. Stranger still, you are the only being, human or pokemon, whom I have ever truly cared for. You have made me feel… not alone, and I have grown attached to that feeling. I do not believe I can return to the way I was before. You have made me weak._

Misty was speechless.

_If I had not continued the storm, you would have eventually fled from this place… from me… and that was something I did not want,_ Mewtwo finished.

Misty wept. "_You_ care for _me_?" she questioned, and Mewtwo did not reply, avoiding her eyes. "Why couldn't you just tell me that?"

_I thought you would not accept such a confession from me. I was certain such a gesture would disgust you. You are human. You were born. I am… _this. _A product of science. A monster_. Misty could hear that his words were saturated with self loathing.

"How you were born… what you look like on the outside… doesn't have anything to do with who you are!" Misty exclaimed, "I believe that, deep down, you do have good in you. I've seen it. You've just never had a chance to uncover it. And as a matter of fact, I care about you, too, Mewtwo, and maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't have run away."

…


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"But now," Misty said regretfully, "I can't trust you anymore, Mewtwo. You lied to me. But I guess I still can't leave, can I?" Mewtwo cringed at the bitterness in her voice. He now regretted revealing his most private information to her; she was still upset, only now, she was also angry with him, so the conversation had been purposeless; it changed nothing, from his point of view.

Mewtwo sighed. _If you wish, I can end the storm long enough for you to return home to your friends. I can even make it so this never happened_. Mewtwo paused, _But…you could also choose… to stay_.

_Pathetic,_ Mewtwo thought, appalled by his own behavior. _Before the battle, I was perfectly content to reside by myself, with only my clones as company. Now, I have been reduced to practically begging for this human's presence in my dwelling place. What has happened to me?_

"Oh, really?" Misty asked sardonically. Mewtwo could hear the challenge in her voice. "Give me one good reason why I should stay. Besides you saving my life. We're even on that one."

_I am delusional,_ Mewtwo realized, _to_ _even consider the notion that she would want to remain here with me after all I have done._ There were no good reasons why she should stay. In fact, she had every reason to leave. Selfishness, ironically, was the only justification he could fall back on.

_You should stay because I wish for you to stay,_ Mewtwo replied, _and, with my abilities, I can provide you with anything you desire while you reside here._

Misty appeared to consider his words. After a moment, she said, "Okay, that's great, but how do I know you're not going to lie to me again?"

It was painful to be called a liar, even though Mewtwo realized that description was, at least partially, true. He hadn't actually told Misty any untruths; he had simply concealed information from her. However, Mewtwo felt ashamed when he remembered that Giovanni had treated him in the same way; the Team Rocket leader had simply buried the information he'd wanted the clone to remain unaware of— Mewtwo's purpose, as Giovanni understood it— so that he could control him for longer. _It is disgraceful,_ Mewtwo thought, _that I could ever behave similarly to that contemptible man._

_Some time ago,_ Mewtwo projected into Misty's mind, _someone I trusted withheld the truth from me, just as I have done to you, in order to subdue me. I am… ashamed that I have chosen to mimic his actions. Although I can provide no proof, I hope that you will have faith that I realize I have made a grave mistake, and I shall not repeat it._

Misty sniffed and wiped her eyes. _She has stopped crying,_ Mewtwo determined, and he was glad; he hated seeing her in tears.

"Okay," Misty said sincerely, looking at him, "I believe you. But as long as we're being honest with each other, I want you to tell me some things."

Mewtwo blinked. _What do you wish for me to tell you? _he asked her.

"Well," Misty began, "even the first day I met you, during the battle…"

Mewtwo cringed. The battle. He disliked it when she spoke of it, for he realized now that his behavior that evening had been unnecessarily cruel and childish. He was still unsure of whether he would ever be able to accept the world as it was, under human control, but he had determined at some point that the universal destruction of every existing living creature would be a step backward, not forward.

"…I knew you weren't just angry and hostile for no reason. I sensed a lot of pain in you. Someone— and I'm thinking it's the same someone you keep mentioning little pieces about— did something to you in the past, something that made you… crazy. Who was it, Mewtwo? And how bad was it that you ended up… like _this?_ So full of hatred for humans?"

Mewtwo sighed. He hadn't planned on telling her the story of his origin; in fact, he had never planned on telling _anyone_ the sequence of events in its entirety. Mewtwo's creation, and the few years that followed it, had been so horrific and painful, both for him and for the scientists who perished because of him, that he was sure that such tales of lethal scientific miscalculations would be disturbing to Misty. But he had promised to be honest, so, as she requested, he would reveal his past to her.

Taking a deep breath, Mewtwo began the story. _The first memory I have is of the beauty of nature— colorful, pink skies at sunrise; tall, magnificent mountains; and vast, bottomless blue oceans. It was breathtaking, and I felt as if I was just floating there, somehow able to witness and experience all of those wonders simultaneously. _He paused, and his tone darkened. _Then, suddenly, I was ripped away from it all— violently hurled into a harsh reality against my will. I heard voices I did not recognize, opened my eyes to see these strange creatures staring at me as if I was an object, a trophy, that they controlled…_

Misty listened to him with an expression of fascination on her face, not saying a word.

Mewtwo continued to explain the circumstances of his creation to her, and, although he could see in her eyes that the graphic details shocked her, she continued to hear him out, occasionally nodding to signify that she understood.

He explained about Giovanni; how the Team Rocket leader had promised an equal partnership, but instead he became a dictator with the goal of controlling Mewtwo's every action. When Mewtwo mentioned that he had battled for Giovanni at the Viridian City gym, Misty gasped.

"You're the pokemon that fought Gary!" she exclaimed.

Mewtwo frowned. _Who is Gary?_

"Gary is a… friend, of Ash," Misty said, "and when we were in Viridian City, he came out of the gym completely shell-shocked, saying that he'd fought some unbelievably strong pokemon, and lost."

Although Mewtwo did not remember which trainer specifically Misty was referring to, he knew he had been the victor of countless battles against innumerous challengers. _Those trainers never stood a chance against me, _thought Mewtwo, but, instead of feeling smug, he just felt angry at Giovanni. _That man was never a great trainer. He just hid behind me, using my power to win all of his battles for him._

When Mewtwo came to the end of his story, the two sat in silence. Mewtwo considered reading into Misty's thoughts, but, after his pledge of honesty, he would have felt intrusive doing so. He decided to wait for her to respond verbally.

Finally, Misty exhaled, shaking her head. "Mewtwo… that's… a lot."

Mewtwo nodded in agreement, though he wasn't sure where she was headed with that comment.

"Every human you ever trusted… the first humans you met, even… abused you. That's… so sad. I'm so sorry… you didn't deserve it. Any of it." She looked at him, and, once again, her eyes were clouded with tears.

_Why does she cry now?_ Mewtwo asked himself, perplexed. _Are her emotions… her tears… shed for me?_

"I am ashamed to be a part of the race that treated you so awfully," Misty said.

_You have nothing to be ashamed about, _Mewtwo assured her, _you had nothing to do with my birth… you are not like them._

Misty just nodded and, again, wiped her eyes.

_It is _I_ who should be ashamed, _Mewtwo continued, finally communicating to her what he had come to know so well while living with her, _just because I was abused, mistreated… it does not justify my actions. Mirroring the behavior of the humans I so despise did nothing to punish them; my revenge was misdirected, and it just created more suffering in the world. Now I realize that. It is something I learned from you._

"Mewtwo," Misty said softly, "I need you to know something. I know I have gotten mad at you, at times— and for good reasons," she added, eyeing him. Mewtwo smirked. "But please, please believe me when I say that I would never treat you as anything less than human. I don't care what those stupid scientists said. You _are_ a person. And you do have a purpose… I know you do. You just haven't figured out what it is yet."

A wonderful feeling came over Mewtwo. His body and mind felt light, as if an enormous, invisible weight had been removed from him. The meaning of her words was powerful, and, at this moment, Mewtwo allowed himself to believe them. _Misty… thank you…_

…

That evening, when Misty and Mewtwo went their separate ways, Misty gathered her thoughts as she lay in the dark. Although she had previously suspected that Mewtwo's past was drastically different than hers, after today, her view of him was transformed. She now understood why he had behaved so violently, even though she still knew his actions were immoral. _But he's changing, _she thought, _right before my eyes._ The Mewtwo she had conversed with today was a totally different person… _pokemon,_ she reminded herself, than she had met the night of the battle.

Their interaction today had definitely changed Misty's opinion about Mewtwo, but now she was confused as to exactly how she felt about him. Until today, she had just been tolerating him, happy that he wasn't attacking her, but not feeling particularly positive about him either.

But now… Mewtwo still frightened her a little, being what he was, but he also fascinated her. In fact, he had not left her thoughts since their conversation much earlier that day. When she thought about what he had told her, about wanting to keep her there with him, and about what he had learned from her… she felt a warm, tingling feeling bubbling up inside of her. It was similar to a sensation she had had before, a few times in her life. _It's almost like… I _like_ him, _she thought in disbelief, _but that's impossible! He's a pokemon!_

….


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Mewtwo lost track of the days as they passed by. Now, it seemed as if Misty had always been there; Mewtwo could scarcely recall the time when he had resided there, alone, with only the human under his psychic control, Nurse Joy, for company.

To both his dismay and his contentment, he found himself growing more and more attached to the human girl. It had progressed to the extent that, when Misty was not near him, he would seek her out, mentally scanning the building to determine where she had gone.

He no longer had any idea what his plans were for this place, but he knew he did not wish for his days with Misty to end. He spent his time repairing the computer software for his cloning machine, though this was mostly just to pass the time, since he could not operate the system while it had missing parts.

Also, at some point, Mewtwo's gifts to Misty of food, clothing, and comfort, which had previously only provided sustenance for the girl, acquired another function. The magnitude, and lavishness, of these presents seemed to increase with each opportunity Mewtwo had to gift her with them; instead of simple bread, fruit, and meat, Mewtwo served her gourmet meals of the highest quality; fine garments tailored to her shape replaced her plain, comfortable clothes. Utilizing other unused parts he found around the laboratory, he built her an armoire, an enormous shower, a vanity. He teleported books and games from other places so that the girl would not feel idle.

Misty appeared bewildered by his actions. "Mewtwo," Misty asked him one day, "why are you doing all this for me?"

_As I told you before,_ he replied, _while you are here, I can give you anything you desire._

There was another reason that Mewtwo didn't always like to disclose, even to himself— Mewtwo was proud to be able to provide for Misty; smug that no human man could ever care for her as he could.

But through it all, Mewtwo's actions and thoughts were accompanied by a persistent, tugging emotion he was still unable to identify. It was present upon waking, and it lingered with him until he fell to sleep at night. Sometimes, he dreamed about it. His subconscious mind conjured images of Misty as he slept, and all of them were accompanied by the feeling. _Obsession?_ he mused. That could be, at least, part of it, but it felt much deeper than that to him.

He thought about the emotions he had sensed in humans since his creation. Accomplishment and pride (and, eventually, fear) in the scientists who created him; arrogance and anger in Giovanni. The night of the battle, Mewtwo had come across several new states of being in the trainers he met that he hadn't recognized or valued at the time, but now they seemed relevant.

_Bravery, _he thought, trying to remember the feelings he had sensed in Ash, the trainer who had stood out the most to Mewtwo that night. _Despair… _love_._

This boy, though Mewtwo had ignored it at the time, truly cared about his pokemon. Ash had been willing to sacrifice his own safety for his pikachu.

_Love? Is that what I feel for Misty?_ Mewtwo wondered. That emotion was closer to what he thought he was experiencing, but it wasn't exactly it. There was some other element there that was missing, and it frustrated Mewtwo to no end. He had to know what this feeling was, because it was consuming him wholly.

_The only way to determine this is to ask a human— someone who may have experienced something like this before._ There was only one candidate for that— Misty.

The girl was absorbed in one of the novels Mewtwo had given her when he approached her. She looked up, smiling at him. _Her smile is so beautiful,_ Mewtwo thought, _but it is so unbelievable that she would smile because of me._

_Misty… I have an inquiry I was hoping you could address, _he communicated to her.

"Okay," she said, appearing curious.

Mewtwo paused. He would approach this practically, logically. He was simply gathering information; that was all. _I… wish to understand the nature of human love,_ Mewtwo began, _I thought… perhaps… you had experienced it in your life, and that you could describe it to me._

Mewtwo was surprised to notice Misty's face turn a shade of bright red. She appeared… embarrassed, and nervous. _Emotions will always continue to mystify me,_ he thought.

"I… don't…. really know," said Misty cautiously, "I guess it's like… when you care about someone enough that you think about them every second, and you can't bear the thought of anything happening to them…" she looked at Mewtwo, "And… no matter how they treat you, and even though you know you shouldn't… you just keep on loving them."

Mewtwo nodded. _So,_ he responded, attempting to clarify, _love is simply… feeling protective of another? Thinking about another human frequently?_

Misty laughed. "No, not exactly. There's more to it, too, at least, sometimes… there's… attraction."

Mewtwo felt something between sickness and excitement in response to that comment.

_Attraction, _Mewtwo communicated, _describe it to me._

Misty's face flushed an even brighter shade of red, and she fidgeted and played with her hair, avoiding Mewtwo's eyes.

"Well… there are two kinds of love, really," Misty explained, "there's… the kind of love that you feel for your sister, or your favorite pokemon. And then… there's the kind of love you feel… when you're attracted to someone." Mewtwo didn't respond right away, so Misty continued, "I guess… being attracted to someone is like… wanting to be close to them. Physically."

There was a pregnant pause.

_That is exactly what I feel,_ Mewtwo concluded,_ I am in love with Misty… a human. _The notion shocked him, but, simultaneously, it was relieving to finally have an explanation for his unfamiliar feelings. _But… what can come of it? A human and a pokemon can never be together; we are simply not physically compatible. _

_Thank you for your explanation,_ Mewtwo projected to her, _I believe that my understanding of the concept is now more complete._

"Um, sure," Misty said, still blushing embarrassedly, "no problem."

…..

Misty let out the breath she had been holding in as Mewtwo walked away. _Thank god,_ she thought, _I thought I was going to die!_

It had been so awkward talking about _love_, of all things, with Mewtwo. Also, during their outlandish conversation, Misty had come to a realization that had made their encounter even more difficult: she _was_ interested in Mewtwo, romantically. Her earlier suspicions had been confirmed. Talking about love and attraction with him had made her heart pound, the butterflies in her stomach beat their wings, and her face grow hot… exactly how she felt whenever she had a crush on someone. _I don't get it,_ she thought, _humans aren't supposed to think of pokemon like _that…_ it's just wrong. Isn't it?_ Well, she had come to the conclusion long ago that Mewtwo was not like other pokemon, after all. But that still didn't make him human.

_Wait… but why would he ask me about human attraction? Unless… _Misty gasped, _does he know I like him? Can he sense it? Read my thoughts? Oh, god… that would be mortifying…_ Of course, there was another possibility, this one even more difficult for Misty to believe. _Could Mewtwo be… attracted to _me_?_ _He did say he cared for me, but… it couldn't be like _that._ Could it?_ Misty found it highly unlikely, but a part of her hoped that it was.

…..

_I do not know how to handle this situation, _Mewtwo thought to himself, _being around her… it is difficult to control myself. My emotions are clouding my judgment, altering my behavior._

Mewtwo couldn't believe what was happening to him. He'd thought it impossible. And was it even ethical for a pokemon to love a human? He thought about Ash and Pikachu. Misty, and her pokemon. A romantic relationship between them… that would be sickening. _No, _Mewtwo concluded, _this is crossing a line_. He looked at his reflection in his dark computer screen and felt intense hatred towards himself. He was engineered… unnatural… disgusting. It meant nothing that he was in love with Misty; he could be attracted to her, but she would never find him appealing. At this moment, Mewtwo felt as if he was trapped within his own body.

_What is my purpose, if I must always remain alone?_ _Can I truly never experience reciprocated attraction and love, like all other creatures do? _There was not, and would never be, another Mewtwo. He would eventually die, and would yield no offspring. After his death, no trace of his existence would remain.

For the first time in Mewtwo's life, he wished he was human. If he was human, his love for Misty wouldn't have to be hidden… forbidden… _wrong_. Misty might even return his feelings. They could share a normal life together, as humans did. He would have no power… but was that bad? Or would it be a blessing?_ My powers may be a part of myself,_ Mewtwo thought, _but they have never brought me any true happiness._ The one exception, of course, was when they had saved Misty's life.

_It is pointless to entertain these thoughts,_ Mewtwo decided. _I am not human, nor will I ever be. I am a child of science, a clone, and that is what I will remain. My DNA is fixed; it cannot be altered._

A peculiar idea struck him. _Unless… I could use my power to change it…_

_No_, Mewtwo thought, _that is insane… impossible. Is it not? _Honestly, Mewtwo was unsure; he had never tried before. He'd had no reason to. The genes he was born with had served their purpose; they gave him great psychic power to use at his disposal, and, until recently, his physical appearance had been irrelevant.

_DNA is really just a sequence of chemical bonds,_ Mewtwo thought, entertaining the notion. _With my power… I could break, and reconstruct, those bonds._

Maybe this wasn't so crazy. Maybe he _could_ actually accomplish such a feat. But he knew that even if it was possible, it would be extremely difficult, and likely very painful.

It also might not last more than a short while; even Mewtwo's power had its limits. But if he succeeded… Finally, he wouldn't be so different. He would be part of a group, a species. Misty could finally see him as he did her. Even if it was for a short time, he could escape this body that plagued him. No longer would he be a monster. No one would be frightened by his appearance. They would regard him as just another human. He could even make it so that the only person who knew he was still himself was Misty.

However, something about this plan still troubled Mewtwo. _Perhaps it would still be wrong_, he thought. He would still be a pokemon, though disguised as a human, who loved a human. It wasn't natural. _But then again, _I_ am not natural_. He looked down and examined his arms and legs, his strange and unique body. _This is something I have to do_, he determined.

…


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Ash couldn't take it anymore. Misty had been on that island for over a month, and since the storm was still going on, no one could do anything about it. _She could be hurt, starving or…_ Ash shuddered. What bothered him the most was that she was alone with Mewtwo. _What terrible things could that monster have done to her? Could _still_ be doing to her?_ Beneath that, he had an idea that Mewtwo had another plan—an even more horrific one that was taking longer to concoct. After all, the storm had been raging for the entire time Misty had been gone, but the world hadn't been destroyed… yet. In fact, no people, nor pokemon, had been hurt since that night. It was all very strange. But after meeting Mewtwo, Ash knew that it couldn't be good.

He and Brock had been staying in the same place on the mainland the entire time. As soon as the storm subsided, Ash, Brock, and the police were going to go search for Misty. If there was any chance at all that she would be all right, they were willing to risk everything for her. But now, the storm was just too bad. If anything, the conditions had worsened since that strange night that seemed so long ago. And, to the meteorologists' dismay, it didn't affect any other area outside a five-mile radius of the island. Unless the storm cleared, no swimmer, pokemon, or vehicle could possibly make it to that island in one piece.

_Misty,_ Ash thought sorrowfully, _I'm so sorry that we didn't help you escape that night. We should have gone back for you, even if the door was closing… I hope you're okay._

….

Mewtwo booted up his computer.

He knew that he would have to transform into someone that he had already seen, that he had DNA samples of. As much as he wished against it, he would have to become a copy of another human, one that had been there the night of the battle. Descending down the center of the spiral platform back down into the arena, he surveyed the space. Some of the trainers had left their backpacks when they fled. Looking through them and examining the trainers' various forms of identification, Mewtwo found that one of the backpacks was the other female trainer's— her DNA would certainly not do— and, intriguingly, he also came across the backpack of Misty's friend, Ash Ketchum. Mewtwo unzipped the backpack, looking for any samples of DNA. To his relief, he found a single black hair, follicle intact, along with something else that was useful: clothes.

Holding the hair gingerly, Mewtwo returned to his laboratory upstairs. In the time that he'd had to himself in the past month, he had brought his computer system back to full capacity and partially repaired his cloning machine. At this point, the machine was not able to create new clones due to its missing parts, but Mewtwo had restored its ability to analyze DNA. He placed Ash's DNA sample in the machine, which rumbled and came to life.

After a few moments, an image of Ash appeared on Mewtwo's computer screen. He marveled at how ordinary the boy looked. He was so small and had so many obvious physical imperfections. Some memories of Ash came back to Mewtwo from the battle: the poorly trained charizard, the willingness to jump off the spiral platform to "save" Pikachu (although, Mewtwo had trouble comprehending how Ash had thought it possible to arrest someone's fall while falling himself). The memories made Mewtwo chuckle. The boy was rash, and irrational. Did Mewtwo really want this? Did he truly wish to give up his unrivaled genetic superiority to become _this_?

Instantly, Mewtwo knew the correct answer to that question. It was time for part two.

Mewtwo hit "DISSASSEMBLE". The image of Ash disintegrated and transformed into an apparently infinite series of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs: Ash's genetic sequence. Instead of transferring the data to an incubation tube where he would create an original clone, Mewtwo used electrodes to attach the machine to his own head. Bringing up the "MENU" on the screen, he selected "TRANSFER DATA".

The computer beeped and an electronic voice warned, "Command error: data is being transferred to an unknown destination. It is recommended to stop action immediately. Continue?"

Taking a deep breath, Mewtwo hit "ENTER".

Immediately, Mewtwo was seized by the most intense headache he had ever suffered in his life, even worse than the first time he battled for Giovanni in the helmet. Mewtwo's ability to learn and memorize new information was vastly superior to that of any other being on Earth, but it was still near impossible to make sense of all the data that was flooding his brain. It was just coming so fast; he had to work quickly or he would overload.

When Mewtwo first built his laboratory and created his cloning program, the first project he completed was an analysis of his own DNA and how it differed from other pokemon's. He had studied his sequence so many times that he now had it completely memorized. However, that had taken months— he was now trying to learn Ash's DNA sequence in a matter of minutes.

After several torturous moments of agony, it was as if a light bulb switched on inside Mewtwo's brain; a new neuropathway was being forged. He began recognizing certain sequences that were similar in both his and Ash's DNA. He could now decipher which pieces of genetic information had the same function. Then, using his telekinetic power, he began to replace pieces of his genetic code with Ash's inside his cells.

If the headache had been painful, this was excruciating. In order to become human, he had to reduce his number of chromosomes from 70 to 46. He could feel the cells in his body morphing and changing. Skin, skeletal, and muscular cells were eliminated to reduce the size of his body to that of a small human's. His bones changed shape and length. His fine white fur slowly disappeared, and his number of digits changed from 3 to 5.

The hardest part was picking out what _not _to change; he had to leave some remnants of his original DNA sequence behind, particularly the portions of the sequence that dictated his brain structure. If this experiment was a horrific failure, and if instead of human he became some scrambled, dysfunctional hybrid of human and pokemon, he had to retain at least some of his psychic power in order to change himself back. He also wanted to preserve his level of intelligence— his body might be changing, but he wanted the essence of himself to remain in his mind.

When he had altered as much as he thought he could safely, Mewtwo stopped the machine, exhausted and breathless. The pain quickly left him, to his immense relief. Mewtwo took a step forward, and fell over. Walking had become an awkward, foreign experience to him. Instead of walking on the balls of long, thin, paw-like extremities, his whole soles of his feet were now solidly planted on the ground. Mewtwo gathered that in his original form, unconsciously, he had been using his psychic power to lighten the weight of his body slightly to make walking more comfortable, which was why his body had felt so heavy when he was too weak to use his power.

He caught his own reflection in one of the cloning tubes and gasped. Something had gone wrong. He appeared human, but his eyes were not the dark brown eyes of the boy's. They had retained their original color and shape... they were his own. Somehow, when trying to leave portions of his brain unchanged, he had left the alleles that dictated eye appearance intact. He had failed.

Mewtwo explored his new body with his hands. Everything felt so different. He was a perfect copy of this human physically, except for the eyes. He hoped that was the only difference.

He also had no idea how long these changes would last. The altered DNA would eventually begin to destabilize, but it could take days, months, or, possibly, just hours or minutes. He hoped it would last longer than that, but he couldn't be sure.

He stood up again, taking careful steps, beginning to get used to his new body. He was so much smaller; it was unsettling. He wasn't sure he liked it, but he could put up with it for the moment.

_Misty, _he thought, noticing the girl stirring from across the huge room. She did not notice him as she sat up in her bed, yawned, and made her way over to her vanity.

"M… Misty," Mewtwo whispered. It was the first word he had ever actually spoken.

…..


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Misty brushed her hair, examining her reflection in the vanity Mewtwo had created for her. _I look tired,_ she noted. She had been awakened abruptly by the sound of a strange mechanical noise, like the blades of a huge electric fan whirring at its highest setting, but she rationalized that it was probably just part of a dream she was having.

She heard footsteps approaching. _Footsteps?_ she questioned, _how strange… the only other person here is Mewtwo, and his steps don't make any noise. _Misty whirled around, and her hairbrush clattered to the floor as she gaped in disbelief at the figure approaching her.

It was Ash.

But no… There was something off, something wrong… something familiar.

"Misty?" The boy said. His voice, Misty noticed, had an unfamiliar tenor to it; it differed from Ash's normal speaking voice.

"Ash…" Misty stared in disbelief. "Ash…"

"I am not 'Ash'," the boy explained, "I am a genetic copy of your friend created using a program I wrote, and my power."

Misty's heart pounded. _This can't be happening… this is just too weird. _"You… you're not… you can't be…" she gasped. "Mewtwo!"

Mewtwo nodded. Misty took a few steps back, taking a seat on her bed, and Ash—Mewtwo— joined her. Misty couldn't stop staring at him.

"Your eyes…" she said. Mewtwo nodded again. "How did you… Ash— Mewtwo— I…" She felt the sting of tears in her eyes again.

"Human… Misty… why do you shed tears?" Mewtwo asked, sounding confused. It was completely bizarre hearing Ash's voice call her "human".

"I don't know!" she exclaimed, "This is just… too much. You're… human. And you're Ash. It just… doesn't feel real."

"But it is." Mewtwo said softly. Leaning forward, he inelegantly placed his lips on Misty's.

Misty froze.

Mewtwo must have sensed her hesitance, and he pulled away. "What… is wrong?" He inquired, sounding hurt.

Misty thought about it. What exactly _was_ wrong? Yes, she had admitted to herself that she was attracted to Mewtwo; that part of the kiss didn't bother her. But… at the same time, it was like she was being reunited with her friend, Ash, who she hadn't seen in over a month, and, even before they were separated, she had been confused about how she felt for Ash. _It's like he's two people at once!_

"I don't… know…" Misty replied, burying her head in her hands. She was too overwhelmed to formulate a coherent response at the moment.

Mewtwo sighed. "Misty… please consider my view of the circumstances, if you will. Living with you these past few weeks has taught me something very important, regarding myself... and you."

Misty turned to look at him, and nodded, signifying for him to continue.

"There was something you told me— that how someone is born, what he looks like on the outside— does not matter. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are," said Mewtwo.

Misty nodded again in agreement. _I would never have expected him to say that, _she thought, _but he's right._

"Yes, that's true," Misty replied.

"If that is true," Mewtwo continued, "then does that concept not apply here? I may appear similar to Ash, but, on the inside, I am still very much myself. I have retained my powers, my intellect, my memories… the very essence of myself. My outer appearance may have changed, but… I thought it would be more pleasing to you. I thought you would be glad about this, happy that I am… human."

_Human, _Misty thought to herself, still in disbelief, _Mewtwo is… human. That means… my feelings aren't wrong anymore; we're just two people… in love. _There was a nagging part of her brain that didn't agree with that perspective, but she pushed those thoughts aside for the moment. Seeing the situation in this new light shifted Misty's paradigm, and she liked this one a whole lot better.

"Yes," she said, "I am… happy. It's just… a lot to take in."

They sat in silence for a few moments, until Misty said tentatively to Mewtwo,

"Do you… want to try again?"

Mewtwo furrowed his brow (or, rather, Ash's brow) in confusion. "I do not understand… try _what_ again?"

Misty giggled, and then, confidently this time, she kissed him.

…..

_I have never felt anything like this before,_ thought Mewtwo, as he accepted Misty's kiss, enjoying the sensation of her warm, soft lips on his. He noticed his heart rate increasing rapidly, faster than it ever had when he was in his normal body. His temperature was steadily climbing; it felt as if he was being warmed by an intense, burning heat, both inside and outside of him. The human emotions he felt were consuming him, enrapturing him in an ocean of new sensations.

And he liked it.

However, it was equally important to Mewtwo that Misty was enjoying the experience as well. He wanted to please her… he wanted her to be drawn to him, aroused by him. At first, he was awkward; inexperienced. He could only imitate her actions in the beginning, since he had never engaged in human sexual behavior before. When she began to kiss him more intensely, more passionately, he did the same, and when she held him closer, he held her in the same manner. He became aware of a new feeling coming over his body. _This is physical attraction,_ he realized, _desire._

Mewtwo followed Misty's lead as she began removing Ash's clothing from Mewtwo's body. He undressed her swiftly and efficiently, quickly learning how to use his new body to its potential. That was the advantage of his extreme intelligence; he became skilled at new things almost instantly. His hands touched her bare skin, and he became immersed in its warmth and softness. He began memorizing her body; discovering which special spots made her whimper and melt into his touch. Even though he was in a human's body, he had never felt so powerful. With his hands and mouth, he could control this girl; he could make her beg for more, he could force her to focus her thoughts, her emotions, her energy, entirely on _him_.

….

_Oh, GOD!_ Misty thought as her partner nibbled her neck. She had never before experienced such a bizarre, intense combination of emotions. She was confused, afraid, excited, and… more turned on than she had ever been in her entire life. It was like her feelings for Mewtwo, both attraction and fear, and the residual feelings she had for Ash had combined… Like she was making love to two people at once. The situation was impossible— it had never happened before, and might never again— but she never wanted it to stop.

Some part of her knew they should slow down. It was all happening very fast; yes, Misty had been kissed before, but this was way beyond her realm of experience.

But it had been over a month since she had had any human contact whatsoever. This, being so close to another person, comforted and consoled her feelings of loneliness. She was also incredibly aroused, to the point that it would be almost impossible to stop. _And I may never have this experience again, _she realized, though she hoped that wasn't the case.

Misty had just admitted to herself her attraction to Mewtwo recently, and she had not even considered being intimate with him before. Although her body had reacted to his presence, she had known that it just could not work, physically. She had never thought Mewtwo would have a warm, human body… or that he could do the things he was doing to her with that body. She would have thought he would have no idea what to do, that her body would be foreign to him, but she couldn't have been more wrong. The intense eroticism overwhelmed her, and she was enthralled by it, unable to do anything else but accept (and take pleasure in) the new sensations gripping her body.

After what seemed like an eternity of bliss, she felt her new lover's release, and, moments after, her own washed over her, enveloping her body like a warm ocean wave. Instinctively, she whimpered two names softly: "Ash… Mewtwo…"

When it was over, the two kissed again, Mewtwo having greatly improved since their first attempt, and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

…..

Mewtwo awoke with a smile on his face. He slowly opened his eyes to see the gorgeous image of Misty, still asleep, next to him in her bed. Our_ bed? _he wondered, and hoped it was so.

This was not the kind of morning Mewtwo was used to. Usually, the sunrise that signified the arrival of a new day meant nothing to him; it was simply the beginning of another increment of time, another twenty-four hours that would prove to be indistinguishable from the last.

But Mewtwo had never experienced anything like this before. _Is this… contentment? Happiness?_ He would have never thought that he would ever feel happy. A month ago, Mewtwo had been ambivalent about his own existence. He had been consumed by his own self loathing, yet simultaneously convinced of his obvious, indisputable superiority over the human race. The only part of his life that had made sense to Mewtwo was his plan for world dominance; his ultimate, misdirected act of vengeance on his creators.

But now… Now, everything was becoming clear. Ridding the world of humans had never been Mewtwo's true purpose. _Perhaps… my purpose is to care for this girl, to love and watch over her._ Mewtwo reached out and touched Misty's hair, admiring the ability of his five slender digits to weave through her thick, vibrant strands.

Misty opened her eyes. She appeared disoriented at first, and a little surprised to see Mewtwo. Then, a look of recognition crossed her face and the corners of her lips turned up into a tiny smile. "Hi," she said shyly. Mewtwo could tell she was waiting to see what he would do.

"Good morning," he greeted her.

"Good morning," she mirrored back.

The two of them just gazed at each other for a few moments, as if seeing one another for the first time.

"So… last night…" Misty trailed off.

"Yes?"

"Last night… really happened," Misty sounded astonished, "I thought… it might have been one of my crazy dreams. But, you're still here… like this." She didn't appear to be bothered by the notion, but Mewtwo was having difficulty deciphering what she could be feeling. He decided not to respond, and the two were silent for a little longer.

"I'm sorry," Misty said, though Mewtwo didn't understand why, "I just… it was… my first time." She looked embarrassed.

Mewtwo frowned. _First time? First time doing what?_ He thought for a moment. _Oh…_ Yes, he supposed that was significant.

"It was mine as well," Mewtwo replied, hoping his words would console her, "my… first time."

Misty looked at him, blinked, and then burst out laughing. Mewtwo joined her; her laughter seemed to be contagious, and he loved the wholehearted, joyful sound of her laugh.

Misty pulled herself together and said, "I knew it was _your_ first time, silly!"

Mewtwo broke her gaze, disappointed. _Perhaps my inexperience was obvious,_ he thought glumly, _perhaps she did not enjoy it as I had thought._

Misty must have realized the connotations of her words, for she quickly corrected them. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that! You were…" she blushed, "wonderful, actually. It's just… I know you were alone for so long…" She trailed off.

_As a pokemon, _Mewtwo thought, _that's what she was going to add on, but decided not to._

"I understand," Mewtwo confirmed.

There was another pause, in which Mewtwo thought to himself, _it appears she did take pleasure in last night's activities, and I would like to repeat them. However, I must be sure she does not regret her actions… this all must be very strange to her, as it is to me._

"Misty," Mewtwo began, "tell me if I am incorrect… but, I believe that we have a mutually positive impression of our experience last night."

Misty blushed a brighter shade of red. "Yes," she agreed.

"However… I realize it occurred very suddenly, and if you find it necessary to… slow down… I would be understanding."

"Well," Misty replied, "it did happen rather unexpectedly… maybe we should…"

"…approach this with more care and caution," Mewtwo finished her sentence.

"Take it slow."

"Agreed."

The two made love again that morning.

….


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It was amazing how quickly Misty adapted to living with Mewtwo in his human form.

Of course, it was strange at first, but as time passed by, his new body began to seem like the norm; in fact, it became more and more difficult every day for Misty to recall how he had been before, in his pokemon form.

Sometimes, she almost forgot he was a pokemon at all.

After all, Mewtwo's only features still reminiscent of his previous appearance were his violet eyes and his psychic powers, which he seemed to use less and less frequently these days. To Misty's surprise, he seemed to be growing more and more interested in doing things "the human way", without utilizing his special abilities to make things easier. For instance, Mewtwo had teleported food, a stove, and kitchen sink to the laboratory, but he insisted on preparing meals from scratch, and cleaning the dishes by hand.

Also, there was a new quality emerging in Mewtwo that Misty would have never expected to witness— he was becoming lighter, more carefree… _happier_. He allowed himself to laugh freely at silly comments she made without trying to restrain himself. He was becoming more comfortable around her, able to share experiences from his past with her without uneasiness, and he seemed to be increasingly more relaxed about casual physical contact with her; a touch on the arm, a hug, the occasional peck on the cheek.

And, of course, the two made love quite frequently.

Each time they lay spent in each other's arms after sex, Misty thought it had been absolutely perfect. Until, the next night, or afternoon, or morning, Mewtwo would prove her wrong— it could be better. Incontestably better.

It was one of those perfect moments, with the two of them lying side by side, exhausted but contented, that Misty finally realized she was in love with him.

She had fully admitted her physical attraction to Mewtwo before, but she had slowly come to recognize that her feelings went much deeper than that.

It also became more and more clear to her that it was Mewtwo she loved, not Ash. _Even though they might look the same on the outside, they couldn't be more different,_ Misty speculated one day. The new quality of openness that Mewtwo had acquired during his time in human form made him transparent enough that Misty could begin to see the aspects of his personality that she truly loved. He was exceptionally intelligent, yet had a childlike innocence about him (this was because of the limited social contact he'd had in his life, Misty guessed). He was always honest and direct with her, as he had promised to be, and Misty knew in her heart he would do anything to make her happy.

He also amazed her, day after day, whether he used his powers or not. He seemed to have an unlimited capacity for learning, a constant drive for progress and advancement (and, to her immense satisfaction, he most definitely took this approach when it came to their lovemaking). She hoped that one day, he could use that quality for something constructive; ironically, it was the same aspect of his personality that had almost destroyed the world.

There was one evening they shared together that convinced Misty that whatever happened once they left New Island (and, she knew, that time would come eventually), she wanted them to stay together. She would do whatever she had to; endure harsh criticism from friends and family, help Mewtwo adapt in the human world, postpone her pokemon journey in order to be with him. At that point, nothing else mattered— Mewtwo was the one she wanted, and she was willing to fight for the relationship.

It began with a conversation about Mewtwo's past.

"When I first became human," Mewtwo had told her, "I thought that, perhaps, being inside a human body would help me to better understand my creators, and Giovanni."

Misty encouraged him to continue, interested to know where his train of thought was headed.

"But… now that I have experienced it… human emotion, that is… the opposite of my expectations has occurred," he said, "their actions mystify me even more."

"Why is that?" Misty asked curiously.

"I used to believe that those humans I had contact with early in life behaved so callously because they were human. I assumed it was their nature. But now… now that I have been in this body, and I have no urges to do wrong to any living creature… I know there was something within them that does not exist in me, or in you. Something unsettlingly sinister, and something I am glad to have never felt stirring within myself. I now realize it is not human nature to be evil; it is only the nature of those who choose to be."

_That… that is exactly right, _thought Misty, _I just wish he could have seen it before._

"There is something else," Mewtwo continued, "I am frightened— terrified, actually— that once you leave this place, you will be returning to that world, where you will have contact with such… human shells, devoid of conscience. I would feel… torn apart, on the inside, if I discovered you were ever treated in the manner that I was."

"Mewtwo… don't worry, I—"

"I would give anything to spare you from that. Even myself." Mewtwo looked at her intensely, and she became lost in his deep violet gaze. _He really means that, _she knew.

She kissed him passionately, taking the lead only for a moment before he leaned her backwards, pressing his body tight against hers, dominating her. His hands ravaged her body and she moaned softly, surrendering to his touch.

Their lovemaking was a whirlwind; rushed, insistent, and desperate, as if they were both racing, begging for release, and Misty was nonetheless sated by it. As they lay side by side after, still sweating and panting for air, she placed her lips at the base of Mewtwo's ear and whispered,

"I love you."

….

Later that same night, Mewtwo awoke suddenly. The intense, all consuming agony he had experienced when he'd first morphed into Ash's body had returned, and it could only mean one thing: his new DNA was destabilizing. He was unraveling at the seams.

As quietly and painlessly as he could, Mewtwo got out of bed. For a moment, he thought he had disturbed Misty, because she sleepily rolled toward him with her arm outstretched, and whispered, "Ash…", but Mewtwo realized she was talking in her sleep. For some reason, hearing Ash's name hurt Mewtwo deeply. _No, I am Mewtwo! _he thought bitterly. Slowly, he tiptoed away from the bed and made his way back to his computer.

_I have to fix this,_ Mewtwo thought frantically, beginning to run the program, _I have to remain human… I must. _He heard a little voice behind him.

"Pika!" The little mouse looked angry, and Mewtwo realized he had been neglecting his cloned pokemon almost entirely in the time he had been human.

"Leave me alone, pokemon," Mewtwo whispered irately. He had become unaccustomed to using telepathy. "Can you not see this is important?"

"Pika, pikachu." The pokemon sounded sad. Hearing the pikachu speak, and understanding that it had meant "you are a pokemon too" caused Mewtwo to have a disturbing thought. _If I was truly human,_ he deduced, _I would not be able to understand pokemon speech._ However, the comment still infuriated Mewtwo.

"How dare you! I am human! Look at me! Look at this body!" The pikachu did not respond; it only stared at Mewtwo somberly.

In horror, he glanced down at himself and saw the body of a monster.

He wasn't quite human, nor was he entirely a pokemon. He was deformed, twisted, and terrifying. Fine white hairs sprouted from his skin. His fingers were changing shape. His limbs were quickly lengthening, and he stripped off Ash's clothes so that they wouldn't tear.

Witnessing this— his body, rapidly changing shape, out of his control— was a dreadful experience. Coupled with the searing, whole-body pain that accompanied the changes, it was one of the worst experiences of his life, rivaled only by his birth.

Trying to speak in his human voice, and failing, Mewtwo once again resorted to telepathy.

_Pikachu… what have I done?_

The small pokemon watched in incredulity as Mewtwo's body completed its shift back to its original form. Mewtwo was in sheer agony, and he used his psychic power to help speed up the process to end his suffering more quickly.

When the pain subsided, Mewtwo was reduced to his hands and knees. Reality came crashing down on him. _I can never be human,_ he realized, miserably. _Even if I change myself, I will always be a copy… a clone… a monster._ He caught a reflection of his enormous violet eyes and catlike face in one of the cloning tubes, and, devastatingly, Mewtwo realized, _Misty is not… could never be… attracted to me; only the body of Ash. He is the one she wants. If I truly love her, I must give her what she desires._

Mewtwo turned to Pikachu. "Tomorrow, we will leave this place."

…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Misty awoke expecting Mewtwo to be next to her, and she was surprised when she noticed he was gone. She looked out the small window across the laboratory and gasped— the sky was almost completely clear. The storm was gone! At first, she was overjoyed— she could see her family again, and Ash and Brock!

She frowned. But what about Mewtwo? Why had he decided to end the storm so suddenly? Was there something wrong? She thought about the night before, when they had made love. _Maybe it was me, _she thought, _maybe I was _bad… _maybe Mewtwo doesn't want me anymore_.

She dressed herself and looked around for Mewtwo. She quickly found him, standing in front of his large monitoring screen, scanning the mansion for any unexpected visitors. However, she was shocked to find that he was no longer in Ash's body— he had returned to his original form.

"Mewtwo…" Misty said, as he slowly turned around to face her. "Why…?" _Something is definitely wrong here,_ Misty realized, _I can feel it._

_I will not keep you here by force any longer. I have quieted the storm, and I strongly suggest you leave as soon as you can,_ he communicated to her coldly.

_He can't speak in this form, _Misty remembered, sadly. She had come to love the sound of his speaking voice.

"But why? Why now? After everything…" her thoughts went to the night before, and the entirety of their experience together. She'd been so sure that they had felt the same way about each other, absolutely certain. Was it really possible that she had been wrong?

_We cannot live like this forever. You are a human. I am a pokemon. It is wrong, and both of us know it. It is time for you to go. I will be leaving this place shortly, _Mewtwo explained.

Misty began to cry.

"Why does it have to be this way?" she pleaded, "You did it before. Become human. Can't you try again?"

Misty felt a chill run down her spine when she saw the emotion in Mewtwo's eyes— pure, animalistic rage.

_I would never willfully reduce myself to the form of such a disgusting creature again,_ Mewtwo projected. Even though Misty only heard him in her mind, she could feel the venom in each word. _I despise humans. I cannot believe I spent the last two months so close to one, but I never plan to again. I am relocating far, far away, to a place with no humans at all, and there I shall remain._

Misty felt as if Mewtwo had stabbed her with a knife and then twisted it in deeper. She was at a loss for words. If Mewtwo would not remain human, she knew that they could not keep living together. And after the things he just said, she wasn't even sure she wanted to anymore, but even if she did, Mewtwo was right: it could never work. She would never be happy in Mewtwo's world, and he could never live in hers.

_Misty…_ Mewtwo communicated, _I must go now. I do not belong in this place… I do not belong anywhere._ Abruptly, Mewtwo's eyes changed to blue and he started glowing. All of the cloned pokemon surrounded him, and their forms also glowed blue. The roof dematerialized, and the group began to ascend towards the sky.

"Mewtwo, wait!" Misty cried desperately as she watched, but their figures just grew smaller and smaller, until they were gone.

Mewtwo was gone.

He had left her, and Misty didn't have any idea whether or not she would ever see the one she loved again.

….

As he drifted upward, Mewtwo realized how cruel he had been to Misty, and, although he regretted it, he would not have taken his words back. They had been necessary to make her accept that he was leaving. If she had begged him to stay, he wouldn't have been able to handle it.

_Goodbye, Misty, _he thought remorsefully, _thank you for teaching my heart what yours already knew so well._

…..

Ash awakened bright and early in the morning. Something felt different today. He was hopeful. Somehow, he could just sense that Misty was alive and well. He opened the blinds, and, to his astonishment and joy, the storm had begun to clear up. Ash grinned from ear to ear, and shook the sleeping Brock, who lay in the bed across from his, to wake him up.

"Brock… Brock!" Ash cried impatiently, "Brock, wake up!"

"Mmmm…" Brock groaned. "Five more minutes…"

"Brock, the storm!" Ash insisted, "The storm's cleared up! We can get Misty!"

In less than five minutes, Brock was up, dressed, and ready for anything. He nodded to Ash.

"Let's go." he said with determination.

…..

Misty sank to her knees and wept. How could Mewtwo just take off like that, after all that had happened? Yes, she understood he had valid reasons, but she couldn't believe he could be so cold.

However, underneath the hurt and anger, she realized it was something that was bound to happen some day or another. As much as she had wished that she and Mewtwo could live in the human world together, it would have been impossible. How was she to explain that she was in love with a clone— a copy— of Ash, to her friends and family? And would Mewtwo ever have been happy traveling city to city, engaging in pokemon battles? Would he really have been content living in a human house?

Misty's thoughts grew increasingly more clouded and irrational. She was so tired… so much had happened in the last twenty-four hours that she didn't even have the energy to think. Because she couldn't come up with anything else to do, she closed her eyes and fell back to sleep.

…...

Ash, Brock, and several Officer Jennys burst through the double doors, ready for battle. The electricity had been cut off, so it was dark inside the abandoned building, and the group members were all equipped with flashlights, scanning the room for Misty… or Mewtwo.

"Do you think she's okay?" Ash whispered to Brock.

"I don't know," Brock said nervously. "It's dark in here, which isn't a good sign."

When the group did not find anyone, or anything, on the ground floor, they began to climb the spiral platform, stepping lightly to remain as quiet as possible. When they reached the second floor, they began searching the lab. The Officer Jennys raised their eyebrows at the display of complex machinery, enormous tubes, and the shower, stove, and sink that starkly contrasted the rest of the equipment.

"It looks like a real nutcase lived here," commented Officer Jenny, and Ash and Brock agreed wholeheartedly.

They soon found Misty, collapsed on the ground.

"Misty!" Ash yelled loudly and ran to her, disregarding the others' looks of disapproval. For a moment, Ash had the sinking feeling in his stomach that his friend was dead. He began to shake her roughly, crying, "Misty, Misty! Wake up!" The group shushed him, but he didn't care. He had to know if she was all right. He sighed in relief when the sleeping girl opened her eyes.

Misty looked tired. At first, she appeared overjoyed to see him, but when she looked into his eyes, Ash saw a flicker of disappointment, which confused him. _Something's wrong…_ _She must be delirious,_ he thought.

"Misty?" Ash questioned, perplexed.

"Ash," Misty forced a smile. She pulled him close to her for a hug, kissed him on the cheek, and whispered in his ear, "I just woke up from the strangest dream..."

….

Author's Note:

Yay! I'm so happy this is done. I think, this time, I am completely satisfied with the revision. Now… on to the sequel! (By the way, in case you didn't know, this was the first installment of a trilogy: "Human", "Monster", and "Hybrid". The first two are up on this site already, and the third is in progress. Hope to get the first chapter up soon).

Thanks for reading, and, as always, please REVIEW! :-)

~TheFrogFromHell


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